Free Vacations

I love free stuff.  

Those spinach & artichoke dip on crostini samples at Costco, the homemade lobster ravioli samples by the checkout line at Agata & Valentina, the bread samples sitting in silver bowls while waiting to order at Cosi…

But most of all I love (the chance to win) a FREE VACATION!  I have never won an online contest but I have a feeling my luck is about to change. 

Here are a few upcoming sweepstakes and contests.  Try your luck at them and if you win, I only ask that you share your winnings with me.

Hawaiian Vacation for Two 

Enter for a chance to win a 4-night trip for two on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air to Hawaii, and $500 spending money.  End Date: August 22, 2010

Entry Form

 

Four Seasons Resort–Jackson Hole Sweepstakes

Enter for a chance to win a 5-night stay at the Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole for a family of four in a Resort Residence including two bedrooms, full kitchen and living room, four-hour Wildlife Safari tour with a Resort Ecologist, breakfast and dinner at Westbank Grill and Grand Teton National Park passes.  End Date: August 24, 2010

Entry Form

 

SELF Magazine–Eat, Pray, Love Italy Experience Sweepstakes
Enter for a chance to win a 6-night trip for two to Rome, Italy.  End Date: August 23, 2010

Entry Form

 

Win a Trip for 2 to Italy

George Clooney heads to Italy in “The American,” the sexy new suspense thriller in theatres September 1. Now you can experience “la vita Italiana” with the Travel Channel Sweepstakes. Enter for your chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime Italian adventure. See the sights in Rome, Venice, Tuscany and Florence.  End Date: August 31, 2010

Entry Form

 

AAA – Win a Trip for 4 to Walt Disney World

5 day and 4 night  AAA Vacations package to either the Walt Disney World Resort or the Disneyland Resort including: accommodations for a party of four at a Disney Resort Hotel, four 5-day Disney Theme Park tickets, $1000 gift card from AAA and roundtrip airfare for four.           End Date: August 31, 2010

Entry Form

 

 

O Magazine – O Fabulous Fiji Sweepstakes 

Enter O Magazine’s O Fabulous Fiji Sweepstakes for your chance to win a week-long trip to Fiji for two, plus a $500 Chico’s shopping spree, a prize worth $11,000.  (Thank you, Oprah!)

Entry Form

Additional O Magazine sweepstakes

 

 

Food & Wine Magazine Barbados Taste of Paradise Sweepstakes

“Taste Paradise” and experience the beauty of Barbados, as well as the inaugural Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival, November 19-22, 2010. Enter for a chance to win a trip for 2 to the Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival.  End Date: August 30, 2010

Entry Form

 

 

Sirius Satellite Radio–Lincoln Center Autumn in New York Sweepstakes

Enter for a chance to win a 3-night trip for two to New York City on Saturday, October 30, concert at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Lincoln Center Fall Gala.  End Date: August 23, 2010

Entry Form

 

 

Shopbop New York Fashion Week Sweepstakes

Enter Shopbop’s NYFW Sweepstakes for your chance to win a trip for two to New York Fashion Week in New York City, a prize worth about $4,900.  End Date: August 18, 2010

Entry Form

 

Good Luck!

Let’s Find Some Beautiful Place to Get Lost

I’ve been unexpectedly home for the last few weeks, and between naps and DVR-ed television, I’ve gotten to daydreaming about what my perfect getaway would be.

Now, I love my big city shopping as much as the next gal, but for rest and relaxation, I’d head off the beaten path for some luxury pampering. This is a daydream, right?

Image from ventanainn.com

First up,  Ventana Inn & Spa. Located in the almost-too-beautiful-to-be-real Big Sur, the Ventana Inn has been on my lust list for years.  Nestled on a 243 acre property, the Inn is the perfect starting point for a leisurely hike and picnic in Pfeiffer State Park. If you’re not feeling too adventurous, you could try a yoga class on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean or perhaps take a nap on your private patio.  Either way, with five-star dining at your fingertips and a world-class spa onsite, you’re almost guaranteed to walk away stress-free.

Image from MSN.com

Across the country, nestled in the Smoky Mountains, is another destination on the list – the Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee.  Located on a working farm, guests are able to help chefs pick heirloom vegetables fresh from the garden to be used in that night’s dinner or join guides to forage for wild mushrooms and berries in the surrounding woods.   The Farm is known for their cuisine, and to take part in the preparation would be such a unique way of unwinding.

That said, if working on the farm doesn’t sound fun, you can also go for a hike, take a quick paddle around a local pond, or borrow one of the Farm’s many complimentary cars for a drive in to town. They also have their own spa onsite – known for it’s luxurious treatments.  I’m pretty I’d be checked in there – after all, picking tomatoes is EXHAUSTING!

Image from fourseasons.com

Finally, what vacation daydream is complete without a  tropical destination?  While I wouldn’t turn down a week on Maui, my dream resort is a bit more isolated. I’m all for not spending 20 hours on an airplane, so my top Hawaiian pick would have to be the Four Seasons Lana’i at Manele Bay.

Lana’i is only 13 miles across and 18 miles long – and 98% of it is privately owned.  In fact, it used to be a private pineapple plantation.  Accessible only by charter plane or boat, the transportation part is a bit tricky.  But, considering I’m daydreaming, hiring my own plane is no problem at all.

They do have their own golf course and horse stables, but my main attraction would be the quiet, isolated beach. You can snuggle away in your own  cabana, where lovely Four Seasons employees will bring you fresh fruit and spritz your face with a refreshing Evian spray. Sounds perfect, right?

Sigh. I think I need to start playing the lottery. 🙂 What makes up your dream getaway?